Acid base titrations
J35856
18/11/2016
1. Introduction
The aim of the experiment was to determine two
unknown concentrations, samples D and F, of an acid
using two different indicators, methyl red and
phenolphthalein. In an acid/base chemical interaction.
The concentration, C, of a volume, V, is given by the
equation
n mainly exists in acidic medium and the other in
C= , (1)
V Material for IIT JEE | askIITians", 2016).
where n is the number of moles within the sample.
Certain chemicals have the special property of changing
their colour when changing pH; they are called
indicators.
Small amounts of such an indicator is sufficient to cause
a colour change and display as the pH of the solution, so
the end-point within a titration can be determined.
There are two theories to how the colour change is
caused by an indicator one of which is called the
Oswalts theory.
It has been stated that:
The colour change caused by an indicator is
due to its ionisations; where if the indicator is
in its ionised form the colour of the indicators
unionised form will be different as all indicators
are either weak acids or weak bases ("Theory
of Indicatiors - Study Material for IIT JEE |
askIITians", 2016).
Figure. 1: The colour change and the pH range of some
common indicators used are tabulated above.
Phenolphthalein is considered to be a weak acid and
methyl red a weak base. In the experiment when
phenolphthalein was added to the sodium hydroxide it
was pink due to its ionised form and when methyl red
was added to the sodium hydroxide it was yellow dues
Assessment Number: J35856
to its unionized form. Which was expected as shown in
figure 1 both indicators were added to a basic solution.
The quinonoid theory states:
an acid-base indicators exist in two tautomeric
forms having different structures which are in
equilibrium. One form is termed benzenoid
form and the other quinonoid form, thus The
two forms have different colours. The colour
change is due to [the equilibrium between] one
tautomeric form into the other. One form
alkaline medium ("Theory of Indicators - Study
As sodium hydroxide was used with the indicator the
phenolphthalein caused the solution to turn pink as the
quinonoid form mainly exists in the alkaline medium in
this reaction.
2. Method
Reagents Safety
0.1 M HCl acid Causes skin/eye irritation
Unknown NaOH D&F Causes skin/eye irritation
Methyl Red Indicator Avoid skin/eye contact
(MR)
Phenolphthalein Avoid skin/eye contact
Indicator (P)
Distilled Water N/A
Figure. 2: Tabulated list of reagents used and safety
respectively.
Before the practical starts, safety precautions for the
experimenter was taken so it followed Control of
Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations
2002; to avoid hazards: gloves, safety glasses and lab
coats were worn at all-time throughout the experiment.
The equipment was setup as shown in figure 3.
20cm3 aliquot of the unknown solution D was
accurately pippeted into a clean dry conical flask using a
volumetric pipette and was placed onto a white tile.
5 drops of methyl red indicator were added to the conical
flask. Where a colour change was observed.
An initial burette volume was known.
 Page 3

Solution D was titred with 0.1 M hydrochloric acid from

the burrete, until 1 drop of titrant produced a permanent
colour change.
The burette reading (cm3) for the end-point was
recorded in a labelled table of results shown in table 1.
Using the measured value of the final titre an average
was calculated using only concordant results of 0.1
decimal between values. This was then used to work
out the concentration of the unknown concentrations
of samples D & F.

The above procedure was repeated a further 2 times
Then the entire process was repeated for solution D but
with phenolphthalein indicator, solution F with methyl
red indicator and solution F with phenolphthalein
indicator.
NaOH (aq)+ HCl(aq) → H 2 O(l) + NaCl(aq)
We know that one mole of NaOH is required to react
with one mole of HCl, therefore this is a 1:1 reaction. So
by re-arranging equation (1) to give:

n=C ×V (2)

The amount in moles, n, of the unknown sodium

hydroxide can be calculated.
As the volume of the pipetted sodium hydroxide (20
cm3) is known, the concentration of the unknown
samples of sodium hydroxide can be calculated; by
using equation (1).

Standar
Conc of NaOH/M Error d
Sampl
Value Indicator Deviati
e
on
±0.10 0.025
0.0723 D Methyl Red
4
±0.10 Phenolphthal 0.025
0.0719 D
Fi 4 ein
gure. 3: Basic titration equipment setup for the acid/base ±0.10 0.058
0.0855 F Methyl Red
reaction where HCL is filled within the burette and unknown 4
sodium hydroxide D or F are in the conical flask with ±0.10 Phenolphthal 0.071
0.0848 F
indicators. 4 ein

3.Results
Figure 5: Shows a table displaying the calculated values of the
unknown concentrations of D & F by using equation (1) after
Solutio Fi <Titre> calculating the amount of moles present in the samples.
n Initial titre/cm 3 nal titre/cm3 /cm 3
1 2 3 1 2 3 4. Discussion
D (MR) 0.0 0.00 0.00 14.80 14.50 14.45 14.48
0 Figure 5 shows the values of the concentration
D (P) 0.0 0.00 0.00 14.60 14.40 14.35 14.38 determined through the titration of HCl with the
0 samples of sodium hydroxide. Both indicators seemed
F (MR) 0.0 0.00 0.00 17.00 17.10 17.10 17.10 to have reached similar value for the different samples,
0 as they had reached similar end points for the two
F (P) 0.0 0.00 0.00 16.90 17.00 17.15 16.95 different indicators. Causes for the difference may have
0 been due to "error propagations through the
calculations that produced errors in the result” (Maier,
Barney, & Price, 2009). Which may have been caused by
systematic errors in the equipment for example air
Figure 4: Table displaying the titration of HCL with Unknown
bubble in the burette or volumetric pipette or even
sodium hydroxide D or F with methyl red indicator (MR) and
phenolphthalein indicator (P) with only concordant values human error through the measured and calculated
used to work out mean titre. values. These errors are very small as the standard
deviation of the data shown in figure 5 is very small.
3. Results
Assessment Number: J35856
Page 3

or ratios, and this is known as the stoichiometry of the

reaction” (Higson, 2004). Simples titrations can be
useful in areas such as water treatment as knowing the
stoichiometry of a reaction can allow a further
titrimetric analyses which is useful as it allows us to
analyse the content of environmental water samples
and hardness of water that is being treated into our
water supply.

Appendix

Concentration of unknown samples calculation- D(MR)

n=0.1 M x 14.45 x 10−3 cm3 =1.445 x 10−3 moles
1:1 ratio-established in reaction equation
1.445 x 10−3 moles
∴ C=
−3
Figure 6: Shows the change in pH of a solution as the −3 3
=0.0723 moles dm (3
20 x 10 cm
volume of acid increases for different strengths of acid
.s.f)
and base pairs.
Calculating standard deviation
Though not much of a difference in titre value was n
found in using the two different indicators, figure 6 Standard deviation=∑ (x i−¿ x̅ ) ¿
shows there is the importance of which indicator to use i=1
for the titration of unknown compounds. As the
indicators pH range in acid/base solutions differ due to Calculating error propagation
the types of equivalence points you can get with δR= √ δX 2 +δY 2
weak/strong acid/base reactions.
For example, “a pH curve between a strong acid and
weak base is vertical over the pH range 4-7” ("Theory of
Indicators - Study Material for IIT JEE | askIITians",
2016). So methyl red and methyl orange would be References
appropriate indicators whereas phenolphthalein would
not be as its pH range is between 8.3-10 (figure 1).
Higson, S. (2004). Analytical chemistry (1st ed., pp. 70-
71). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
When observing the titrations, the samples using
methyl red changed from a meek yellow to pale orange Maier, P., Barney, A., & Price, G. (2009). Study skills
at the end-point but with excess HCl it changed to a for science, engineering and technology students (1st
pale pink, so recording the titre was easier than the ed., pp. 251-256). Harlow: Pearson Education.
samples with the phenolphthalein indicator. As the
phenolphthalein went from a pink solution to a
colourless solution but with excess HCl it remained Theory of Indicators - Study Material for IIT JEE |
colourless; so it was hard to recognize if the end-point askIITians. (2016). Askiitians.com. Retrieved 30
was met exactly or already surpassed by an excess. November 2016, from http://www.askiitians.com/iit-
Which may have caused the difference in result jee-chemistry/physical-chemistry/theory-of-
between the two different indicators. indications.aspx

5. Conclusions

In analytical chemistry the use of indicators is key as

they help identify the end-point of titration through
visual means. Which allow us to calculate
concentrations of unknown acids or bases. As “all
titrations are based on knowing how different molar
quantities of reagents react together; reagents will
normally react with each other in fixed molar quantities
Assessment Number: J35856